CloneDVD 3 vs. CloneDVD 2

Greetings!

I've not been able to find a post about this anywhere in AfterDawn so am posting it now. A Chinese company has hijacked Elaborate Bytes internationally copyrighted and trademarked name, CloneDVD, and created an inferior product called CloneDVD 3.

There are more and more posts in the forums about problems with CloneDVD 3 and I've tried to address why with these inidividuals. They have purchased an inferior product with virtually no support. To add insult to injury, CloneDVD 3 is more expensive than the legitimate product, CloneDVD 2.xx. Apparently, the Chinese developers are protected by the Chinese gov't and there is nothing right now that Elaborate Bytes can do except rely on the kindness of happy customers like us who support the legitimate and totally excellent product family of CloneDVD, AnyDVD and CloneCD.

I've been in touch with Elaborate Bytes support and two responses have confirmed the hijacking of their product name. For interested individuals I'll be glad to post the responses from John Smith and Nico Roehr of Elaborate Bytes.

Caveat emptor: Please, do not get ripped off by purchasing the inferior product CloneDVD 3 from www.clonedvd.net. While anyone may have the 'right' to create whatever software they like, it's a little over the top to create a similar software product and then piggyback on someone's good reputation by hijacking their trademarked product name as your own.

If any of you will be testing or buying CloneDVD 2.xx, buy it only from the legitimate product vendors. These are either http://www.slysoft.com or direct from the wonderful developers, http://www.elby.ch (who have now joined us in these forums).

Regards...Aa

Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't. ~Mark Twain

 

Thanks Nephilim. Hope this does some good.

Cheers...Aa

 

Hello and thank you for confirming what I only learned from another good member of this site tonight.
Unfortunately I bought clone dvd 3 thinking it was the real thing and I had no idea until tonight that I had indeed purchased a fake. I really thought clone dvd 3 was the latest version by the original Elaborate bytes company.
I should have know better as I bought it on ebay.
Can anyone tell me if this only applies to clone dvd, or does it also apply to any dvd?
I thank you for any info...

 

Thank you very much I am pleased. I have now uninstalled clone dvd 3 and down loaded clone dvd 2 trial, with the view to buy the full program, from Elaborate Bytes. Thank you creaky and everyone else for the info, I am glad I have joined After dawn.

 

Glad to be of assistance. As Creaky said, happy burning.

 

" For interested individuals I'll be glad to post the responses from John Smith and Nico Roehr of Elaborate Bytes."

I'm interested in the responses. I for one, know that I was fooled. I had been using DvdXCopy Platinum 4.0. by 321 Studios. Well, since 321 studios no longer exists, I was starting to find that maybe it was time to move to another program due to a few problems I was starting to run into. So I read a lot of good reviews about "CloneDVD". The review had a link to www.slysoft.com, where I downloaded the trial version. From the reviews I read it mentioned that CloneDVD 2 would not break the CSS copy protection and to backup a DVD with CSS protection, I would need a third party software running in the background or "AnyDVD". So, I was evaluating a few different programs and doing some searches on the internet, I also found a website selling CloneDVD 3. It struck me as being pretty odd that 2 different online stores where carrying 2 different version numbers of the same software title. Additionally, Yes I did find it strange that CloneDVD3 was at a higher price, but just assumed it was due to one online store carrying an older version. So, I'm pretty sure that's a good reason why CloneDVD 3 is more expensive, so others would further think they're buying the latest version of the program. Additionally, I found that DVD Clone 3 would now allow you to back up a DVD with CSS protection on it. So my thought was, well I probably want to buy the latest version with the CSS copy ability. So I downloaded the trial version of CloneDVD 3. The thing that was really strange is that the user interface was totally different from CloneDVD 2. Well, software vendors have been known to change their GUI with different version releases, so I thought that must be what the deal is here. The other thing I noticed about CloneDVD 3 is that the user interface was now very similar to DvdXCopy Platinum. This was actually a plus for me, since I was familiar with using DVDxCopy Platinum and I was in search of an upgrade for that program. CloneDVD 3, had every DvdXCopy feature, plus a few more extras that I wished DvdXCopy had. The trial version was also able to backup a DVD that I previously was having troubles with using DvdXCopy, so it definately seemed like the correct path for me to take. The name of the company that makes CloneDVD 3 is "DVD X Studios". So now that I read this thread, I come to the realization that the makers not only stole the name from the makers of CloneDVD 2, they also Stole similar names of the company associated with DvdXCopy. Like the "X" and "Studios", which are associated with DvdXCopy. The User Interface is also similarly stolen from DvdXCopy Platinum. Everything about this CloneDVD 3 has been stolen, right down to the company's name that developed it. Another thing that I found really strange about the whole CSS feature added is that, isn't this what brought about the demise of 321 Studios? I mean if you have read anything about the legal battle against 321 Studios, it was found that by the DvdXCopy software having the ability to break the CSS copy protection, this is where the software broke the law, not in the fact that it allowed you to make copies of the actual DVD movie.

Now, I'm not one to promote the stealing and using of non purchased software, but looking back in hindsight wouldn't it be fitting for users to steal from a company that obviously stole from other companies? Just a bit of irony huh?

If anyone has links to problems users have been having with CloneDVD 3, I would be interested in hearing about them. I have not run into any thus far.

It would be nice, if Elaborate Bytes had something posted on their website regarding this fraud. I'm sure they feel that's a double edged sword they have to walk though, since it could possibly backfire on them, by making other potential users of their software aware of the CloneDVD 3, as a possible alternative to their product. So they could actually be inadvertantly promoting CloneDVD 3.

<Sigh>....what a mess.

 

I went to that site and the CloneDVD is $99!!!! The original is only $39!!!!

 

Rednroll,

Thanks for your insights about ClonDVD 3. There are numerous posts regarding problems with ClonDVD 3 in the Afterdawn forums and you should search for them and read the posted issues. It is why I contacted Elaborate Bytes and asked them whazzup, and then posted a synopsis of their responses confirming the ongoing hijacking by the Chinese. They were straight up about what has happend to them.

From a managment perspective, these thoughtful folks surely have legitimate and well considered reasons as to why they have not posted information on their website about the fraud. Some which come to my mind are the potential of a massive flame attack from the Chinese hijackers and providing any press at all to the hijackers is acknowledging them, etc. At this point, the e-mails from John and Nico are buried in my archives.

If you're really interested in pursuing this, then contact John and Nico directly through the product website, http://www.elby.ch, or e-mail support@elby.ch. They are lovely and will respond to your interest. They are now active members of After Dawn.

As Prelude 22 points out in this forum, the hijacked product is more than double the price of the legitimate produduct. I am sorry that individuals are being ripped off, but the mass stampede to any DVD ripper is indicative of how mainstream the process has become. What puts the Zen smile on my face is the losing battle of the foolish US movie industry.

Cheers...Ask Althea

 

not another rip off, by the way clonerdvd2 is just an old version of shrink as well, buyer beware - everywhere

 

zest QUOTE.
not another rip off, by the way clonerdvd2 is just an old version of shrink as well, buyer beware - everywhere

THATS A FALSE STATEMENT...i can not believe you said that,where your proof as to making that statement..I been using clonedvd2 since it came out.and shrink..they are totally difference programs.

 

To be fair, CloneDVD 3 is not a bad program. I have had pretty good success with it, although I purchased it by mistake off of reading the reviews of CloneDVD 2. It has a very similar GUI as DVDxcopy, with a few more options. I tried out the demo of CloneDVD 2 after I realized my mistake. Honestly, I didn't like the UI of CloneDVD 2 as compared to CloneDVD 3, so I probably would have chosen CloneDVD 3 anyways. The only things I didn't like about CloneDVD 3, is that it had no way to preview the chapters that you where selecting as compared to DVDxcopy. I had NO technical show stoppers with the latest version of CloneDVD 3 as others had mentioned in this thread as a deterant. The other thing I found was that the compression used when going to a single layer DVD-R was not all that desirable as compared to DVDxCopy that I was more familiar with. It wasn't bad though, if you where able to keep the compression under 30%. In all honesty now, the best DVD backup program I have used is "1Click-DVD". With a $59 price tag I couldn't go wrong and I added it to my arsenal of DVD back up programs. I find 1Click DVD to be the fastest back up program that I have used and also the compression to be the best as far as picture quality. Also it is the easiest program to use. You set up your preferences once as far as the material you want to keep from the original DVD, and after that it really is as simple as "1 click" to make a good quality back up. I haven't used CloneDVD 3 or DVDxCopy Platinum since I got 1Click DVD.

Ireland, you're a real gem. Someone needs to moderate the moderator in this forum.

 

Thank you Ireland. Yes, it is a false statement.

Cheers...Ask Althea

 

I'll Stick with my DVD-Cloner III,(Not CloneDVD2). its fast and easy to use but still has the advanced settings.

 

cloner is a rip off not clonedvd, clonedvd is a great program , i feel sorry for the people that have been hoodwinked by clonerdvd clonedvd3 is also a ripoff

 

the people that stick up for clonedvd3 and cloner obviously work for the company that makes this ripoff, do your own research and dont be a fool

 

Its preety simple if it aint from slysoft its not legit

http://www.slysoft.com

That is you first sign that your gettin value for your money

 

I'll stick with what works for me and thats DVD-ClonerIII.Your right Cone-DVD 3 is a big rip!



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